Personal Triumph
by a girl who likes hockey
Summary: The adoptive daughter of Poe Dameron meets the son of Kylo Ren on the planet Ahch-To, after running away from their respective families. Will their encounter with each other, and their families, bring the healing that their parents need? Rated T to be safe. The continuation of Personal Interrogation, Another Personal Interrogation, Personal Decision, and Personal Tragedy.
1. Chapter 1

Ben woke up in his private quarters, as he had done for the nearly sixteen years of his life. To the galaxy, he was known as "Little Ren", the eventual successor to his father, Kylo Ren. To his parents, he was BJ, their son. Neither parent called him by the name his biological mother, Rey of Jakku, gave him.

Ben knew very little about Rey. She defeated his father at Starkiller Base. Sometime later, they formed a Force Bond, which led to Ben's conception. Sadly, Rey died after giving birth to him. General Armitage Hux has poisoned her pre-natal vitamins. She used the Force to heal Ben of the effects, but she was not able to save her own life.

He knew his father blamed himself for her death. It was the only thing that kept the Supreme Leader from returning to the Light. Kylo was a good leader, only attacking planets when things got out of hand.

As for Tessa Raindance, the woman he called Mom, Ben loved her, despite her cruel ways. He knew it was only her love for him that kept her from succumbing completely to the Dark side. She was angry and heartbroken over the loss of her daughter with General Hux. Her daughter shared Ben's birthday. Every year on his birthday, Tessa would lock herself in her room, and call out to her daughter, to see if she was still alive. There was never any response back.

Ben did not understand why Tessa was furious at Poe Dameron. He understood that the commander led the attack on Coreilla, where Hux kidnapped Tessa and delivered their daughter. But Poe couldn't have known that his mom was there, giving birth. But Tessa insisted that Kylo search the galaxy and arrest Poe, so that she could kill him for taking away her daughter. From what little information he knew about the pilot, Ben sensed that Poe was innocent of killing the girl.

What Ben and his parents did not realize was that the girl had survived. Poe had killed her biological father, General Hux. Hux warned him before his death to keep the baby away from its mother. Although Poe was not sure if Hux was telling the truth, he could not allow the baby to captured by the Order. So he decided to raise the girl as his own, with help from his droid, BB-8. He named her Rey, after the woman he had loved and lost.

It was not an easy life for Poe and his daughter. They were constantly on the move, never staying at one place for long. He would tell Rey when she was younger that they were going on adventures. That worked until she realized that they were fleeing for their lives.

Rey Dameron loved her father. Even though she knew General Hux was her birth father, Poe was the only dad she ever knew. He was honest with her, answering the questions she had about Hux. Rey felt bad that the Order was after her father. He did his best to give her as normal of an upbringing as possible. Since she could not attend regular school, BB-8 was her teacher. When Rey discovered she was Force sensitive, she used her power to protect her family in dangerous situations.

Rey knew nothing about her biological mother. She asked Poe about the woman she was named after, but he refused to talk about her. BB-8 told her that he had loved Rey of Jakku, but she died at the hands of Kylo Ren and the First Order. She sensed Poe's anger at the Supreme Leader, and also his guilt for blaming himself for Rey's death.

They arrived on the planet Ahch-To. Poe felt desperate, for a couple of reasons. First, he was running out of planets he and Rey could safely hide on. Second, Rey was turning sixteen tomorrow. She would be considered an adult, per Galactic law, and therefore allowed to leave her father's custody. This upset Poe, who felt Rey was still in danger if the Order found out about her.

That night, they and BB-8 sat by a campfire. It amazed Poe how quickly time had passed. His daughter was beautiful, with curly red hair and bright blue eyes. She was smart, kind and powerful in the Force. Although he dreaded asking, he knew he couldn't avoid asking the question.

"Rey, what do you want for your birthday?" Poe asked, as he was toasting a marshmallow.

At the same time, a birthday party was thrown for Ben on the Finalizer. Everyone was there, including his parents. They always celebrated his birthday the day before, since Tessa would be in mourning on his actual birthday.

"Little Ren, what do you want for your birthday?" Tessa asked, amazed at how much the child she considered her son had grown. He looked like Kylo, but his eyes and personality he got from his late birth mother.

To their respective families, Rey and Ben took a deep breath and replied,

"The truth."

"Rey, we have been over this," Poe grumbled, knowing what she was going to ask.

"You don't want to know the truth," Tessa told Ben, sensing what he was going to ask.

"BB-8, please check to make sure no one is around," Poe commanded the droid, who obediently rolled away.

"Everyone out now!" Kylo shouted. They vacated the room, leaving him, Ben and Tessa to talk privately.

"Dad, I want to find out who my birth mother is," Rey said to her father.

"Mom. Dad, I want to know more about Rey," Ben told his parents.

"You should not ask about her," Poe and Kylo said to their children.

"Why?" Ben and Rey questioned. They thought for a moment, then stated,

"You blame me."

"What?" all three parents exclaimed in shock.

"You blame me for having to live a life on the run," Rey confessed to her father.

"You blame me for surviving instead of your daughter," Ben admitted to Tessa.

"Enough!" Kylo and Poe scolded them.

"I blame myself for our predicament," Poe told Rey. "If I had not killed Hux, I would not have a high bounty on my head."

"Your mother blames me for the loss of her daughter," Kylo stated to his son.

"That's not true!" Tessa yelled at her husband.

"Then why won't you sleep with me?" he spoke to her mind.

"Because I'm afraid to get pregnant!" she replied back to his mind, before she bowed her head and cried.

"You wish she would have survived and I would have died!" Ben moaned in sorrow.

"BJ, no! I love you! You are my son! You are the reason that I'm alive! Sweetheart, if it wasn't for you..." Tessa paused, not wanting to finish her sentence.

"If that is true, why can't I celebrate my birthday tomorrow? Why won't either of you answer my questions about Rey?"

"Dad, you thought Hux was going to kill me," Rey reminded her father. "You have always worried about me, that I will get hurt. But I will be sixteen tomorrow. You can't protect me forever. I need to find out who my birth mother is." 

"Rey, no! If the Order finds out you're Hux's daughter..." Poe stammered, as the tears streamed down his face.

"It's a chance I am willing to take..."

"No! I won't lose you!"

"Because I was afraid to lose you!" Tessa admitted to Ben.

"It's getting late," Kylo uttered. "We should get to bed. We will discuss this further tomorrow."

"Rey, let's discuss this in the morning," Poe pleaded with her.

"No, we won't," Rey and Ben said to their parents. Ben knew Tessa would be in mourning tomorrow, and Rey knew Poe would forbid her to leave. They left their parents and headed to bed.

"What am I going to do with her?" Poe grumbled to BB-8, who had come back from his surveillance duties. The droid did not have a response for him.

"What are we going to do about him?" Tessa asked Kylo. He gave her a look, and her face flushed red with anger.

"No!" she snapped bitterly. "I will not stop mourning until Poe Dameron pays with his life for taking my daughter's!" She stormed out the room, and Kylo hung his head low.

Ben and Rey tossed and turned that night. They needed answers to their questions. She knew she had to infiltrate the Order, and find out about her biological mother. He knew he needed to find Poe Dameron, and find out more about his birth mother. Ben also wanted to know if Poe was responsible for the death of Tessa's daughter.

Ben did not like the instability in his life. The Force had created him to bring balance. But he could he bring balance if he was surrounded by darkness all the time? His passion was to teach the way to the Force, to show that you need both the Light and Dark side. But his parents insisted he follow in his father's footsteps, and become the next Supreme Leader.

Rey wanted to learn more about the Force. She needed someone to teach her. But how could she find a teacher, when she and her father were on the run? He never admitted it to her, but Rey knew he feared her power. He was afraid she would be captured and killed, just like her namesake. Her dad taught her how to fly, and wanted Rey to follow in his footsteps and become a pilot.

"Goodbye, Dad," Rey softly whispered, as she watched him sleep. "I have to follow my own path. You don't need to take care of me anymore."

"Goodbye," Ben whispered, as he stood outside his parents' bedroom. They were both asleep. "I need to follow the path the Force is showing me, not the path you want me to follow."

They both turned and left, tears streaking down their faces.


	2. Chapter 2

Rey travelled for miles along rocky terrain until she reached a large pond. She looked in the water and was shocked. There was a Y-wing buried underneath!

"How do I get it out?" she thought to herself. She was startled when she heard a calm male voice in her mind tell her,

"Use the Force to pull the ship out of the water."

"I can't! It's too big!" Rey replied back. She could move little things like rocks, but not a spaceship!

"Size does not matter. You can do it. Concentrate. Feel the Force flow through you."

Rey closed her eyes and extended out her hand. Slowly, the submerged ship was lifted out of the water, and was moved onto dry ground.

"I did it!" she exclaimed happily. Her smile turned into a gasp when she felt a hand touch her. She turned around and saw Little Ren!

Rey tried to run, but Ben had frozen her in place.

"Don't be afraid," he said to the beautiful yet frightened young woman. "I do not mean you any harm."

"I don't believe you!" she snapped angrily. "I know who you are!"

"You do? Then why would I tell you to use the Force to lift the ship from the water?"

Ben gazed at the feisty young woman. She seemed familiar to him, even though this was the first time they met.

Rey wondered that herself. She was afraid. She knew he was Little Ren, the son of the Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren. The man who wanted to capture her father. He was handsome, with black hair and hazel eyes.

"I don't know!" she moaned desperately. "Please let me go!"

"I will let you go on one condition," Ben insisted, as he drew closer to her. "You need to promise that you will not kill me."

"How did he know that?" Rey wondered to herself. She trembled when she heard him respond back to her thought,

"Because I have the same power as you."

Rey stared into his eyes. She sensed that he was telling her the truth. She nodded her head in agreement, and he unfroze her.

"Please don't go," Ben pleaded with Rey, as she took a cautious step back.

"Why should I stay? You're the Supreme Leader's son!" she shouted back.

"I may be his son, but I am not him."

Rey sensed resentment on his part towards his family. She softly sighed and said,

"No, I guess you're not." Rey imagined how she would feel if everyone assumed she was just like General Hux. She would not like it.

"What is your name?" she asked, taking a step closer to him.

"Ben," he told her, delighted that she was slowly starting to trust him. "And you are...?"

"Rey." She noticed that his face changed when she said her name.

"Were you named after Rey of Jakku, the Resistance fighter?"

"Yes." When he heard her response, Ben shed a tear. Rey was confused by his emotions.

"What a beautiful name," Ben finally managed to say. "I always wanted to know about her."

"You mean Rey of Jakku? I can tell you about her," Rey offered. She saw Ben's eyes lit up when she said this.

"She was a brave warrior, yet kind and compassionate. She was strong in the Force, and she died saving my father and their friends from the Order," Rey explained.

She was curious to see Ben turn his back on her. Then she realized why. He was crying!

"That's not true!" he managed to say through his tears. "She died giving birth to me!"

Rey's eyes widened. Ben was the son of Rey of Jakku and Kylo Ren? How was this possible? Ben knew her thought and replied,

"I was conceived by the Force, when they touched hands, not too far away from here."

"I am sorry, Ben," Rey consoled him, as she stood next to him. "I thought Empress Tessa..."

"She is my mom, even though she didn't give birth to me."

"I see. You are sad, because you blame yourself for Rey's death." She closed her eyes and added,

"Your father thinks it is his fault she died."

Ben raised his eyebrow in surprise. Rey was powerful in the Force. Untrained, but stronger than she knew.

"My father knew Rey," the young woman continued. "He loved her, but he was heartbroken when she died. He thought your father..." She paused, not wanting to finish her statement.

"You gave him a reason to live," Ben confessed what he was feeling in the Force. "But you feel guilty, because he gave up everything to look after you."

Rey trembled in fear as she opened her eyes. Ben smiled at her and stated,

"He does not blame you. He only wants to protect you... Duck!"

Ben suddenly pulled Rey to the ground, to protect her from the blaster shots being fired at them.

"I will kill..." he hissed angrily, as he extended his hand to freeze the shots.

"No! Ben, don't! It's my father!" Rey begged him.

"REY!" Poe screamed, as he continued to fire at the strange man that now held his daughter. To his horror, the shots were frozen in the air.

"No! Rey!" Poe shouted.

"Stop shooting!" Rey yelled at him. When Poe saw who she was with, his face went pale.

"Don't hurt her!" he pleaded with Ben, as he approached them. Ben froze him in place, so that Poe could not move.

"You were firing at us!" Ben growled, ready to take his lightsaber out.

"Ben, don't!" Rey told him. "He was only trying to protect me! He's..."

"Rey, don't say it!" Poe cried out in fear.

"My father," she blurted out. Ben stared at Poe, then at Rey.

"Poe Dameron is your father?" Ben asked.

"Yes," she softly replied.

"Go!" he commanded Poe, unfreezing him. "You need to get out of here!"

"I don't think so! Not without... Oh no!" Poe gasped in horror.

"No!" Rey moaned, closing her eyes. She did not have to see them. She sensed them in the Force. Stormtroopers were marching towards them!

"You did this on purpose!" Poe snapped angrily at Ben.

"No, I did not," Ben insisted, as two Stormtroopers seized Poe and handcuffed him.

"No! Let him go!" Rey cried out. Ben held her to try and calm her down. They all turned to face Kylo Ren, who had his crossguard lightsaber ignited. Ben never saw his father this angry before.

"Give me one good reason why I should not kill you for trying to kill my son!" the Supreme Leader snarled. Rey's eyes narrowed and she told him,

"He was trying to protect me, his daughter!"

Kylo raised an eyebrow when the girl said this. He could understand Poe's actions. He would do the same thing for Ben. But it didn't matter now. He needed to fulfill his promise to Tessa.

"Take them to the ship!" Kylo commanded. Rey tried to attack him, but Ben held her back.

"Let me go!" she pleaded, as Ben escorted her to the ship.

"I will," he spoke to her mind. "Once I figure out how you and your father can escape."


	3. Chapter 3

They boarded the shuttle that would fly them to the Finalizer. Rey and Poe were placed in a holding cell, with one Stormtrooper guarding them.

"Dad, I'm so sorry!" Rey cried through her tears.

"Ssh. Don't cry," Poe whispered, as he embraced his daughter. "I promise you will live, even if I don't."

"Dad, don't do this!" Ben pleaded with Kylo.

"BJ, your mother..." Kylo began to argue.

"What about what I want?"

"If I do not bring Poe Dameron before your mother, she will never speak to either one of us again. Do you want that?"

"No, but..."

"Then it's settled." Kylo felt his son's anger as he turned his back on him. He didn't want to do this. But this was the only way he saw to bring Tessa back to the Light.

"Ben, please do something!" Rey called out to him in his mind. "I don't want my father to die!"

"I'm trying, but my father is insistent on bringing your father to my mother. She hates Poe, and wants him to die," Ben explained solemnly.

Rey's eyes widened when she heard this. Why would this woman hate her father so much, to want him dead?

"I will take my dad's place. Just please let him live!"

"You would do that for your father?"

"Yes, Ben, please help me!"

Ben turned to his father and told him,

"Dad, the girl is willing to take her father's place.

"BJ..." Kylo sighed, knowing what he was trying to do.

"It's my birthday today. I don't want to see either one of them die!"

Kylo had a revelation, and said to Ben,

"You like the girl, don't you?" Ben shook his head in denial, but his father was not fooled. He managed a small smile.

"Don't be afraid. I felt the same way when I met your mother," he admitted to Ben. Kylo sighed and added,

"I will talk to your mother. But I can't make any promises."

"Thanks, Dad," Ben stated, full of gratitude.

"I hope she is worth all this trouble."

Ben nodded his head. Rey was worth it. She was beautiful and powerful. He left his father's side and was about to go check up on Poe and Rey when he stopped. He closed his eyes and meditated.

Ben, like any teenage boy, had dreams of sleeping with girls. But he only dreamt of sleeping with one girl. In his dreams, he never saw her face, but heard her voice. But now, he was in the dream. They were naked and on his bed, and he heard her say,

"Ben, make love to me." He looked down and finally saw her face.

"Rey!" he gasped. Now he understood why she was so familiar to him. She was the girl in his dreams!

"Oh Maker!" Ben moaned. Now it was crucial that he protect Poe from his mother, if he had any chance of being with Rey.

The shuttle docked in the hanger. Kylo and Ben stepped off first.

"Let me go speak to your mother..." he began to say, before they saw Tessa heading towards them. She held a red lightsaber in her hand.

"Dad, stop her!" Ben screamed, as Tessa charged forward.

"I need your help to do so!"

They extended their hands, and Force pushed Tessa to the ground.

"I want him dead!" Tessa shouted, as she quickly rose to her feet. By this time, Poe and Rey were in the hanger. Narrowing her eyes, she darted in the pilot's direction. Kylo stopped her, using his lightsaber to block hers.

"I don't want to fight you, sweetheart!" Kylo tried to reason with Tessa.

"Poe Dameron needs to die!" Tessa growled angrily, as she tried to get past her husband.

"Why does she hate me so much?" Poe nervously asked Ben.

"She thinks you killed her daughter," Ben explained. His eyes widened in horror as Tessa was about to swing at Poe. Rey quickly grabbed Ben's lightsaber, ignited it and battled the woman trying to kill her father.

"Rey, no!" Poe uttered, terrified that the Empress would kill Rey. To Ben, he stated,

"I did not kill her daughter!"

"She thinks you did. You ordered the attack on Corellia, sixteen years ago."

Poe's face went pale. He nervously asked,

"When was her daughter born?"

"Sixteen years old today," Ben responded.

"It's Rey's birthday. She is sixteen!" Poe gasped in shock. Ben's eyes widened when he heard this. He quickly Force pulled Rey towards him, and took back his lightsaber, which glowed a white color. He blocked his mother from striking down Rey.

"Mom, stop!" Ben pleaded with Tessa.

"Why?" she hissed, staring at both Poe and Rey.

"Because she may be your daughter!"

"You're lying! Her birthday would have to be..."

"It is," Tessa said cautiously. "I turn sixteen today."

Tessa was thrown for a loop. She took a step backwards. This enabled Kylo to take away her lightsaber. She glared angrily at Poe and said to Rey,

"You are lying, to save your father. So we will go and get a DNA test done. If the test shows you are lying, you will die along with him!"

"No! You can't do this!" Ben shouted. But Tessa ignored him and stormed off.

"Meet me in the medic bay!" she yelled at them before leaving. Kylo walked over to where Poe and Rey were standing.

"Is it true? Is it your sixteenth birthday today?" he asked Rey.

"Yes, it is," Rey responded, her voice quivering.

"Are you her biological father?" he questioned Poe.

"No. Although I wish I was," was Poe's response, as he squeezed his daughter's hand.

"Come. I will take you to the medic bay. Force help us either way."

They arrived at the medic bay. Tessa was sitting on a cot. She stared coldly at Rey and barked,

"Sit on the other cot. The medical droid will be out shortly to take our DNA samples."

Not having a choice, Rey sat down. Ben and Poe were by her side, while Kylo stayed with Tessa.

"He should be here with me!" Tessa complained to Kylo in the Force.

"Tessa, Ben has compassion for the girl," he admitted to her.

"No! Why?"

"Sweetheart, you know our son."

Tessa sighed . She glanced over at Ben, who attention was focused on Rey.

"I do," she wistfully uttered. "He is like his birth mother in so many ways."

"Who is Rey's biological father?" Ben asked Poe, as the droid came to take Rey's DNA sample.

"That is only for my daughter and I to know," Poe replied. Ben shook his head in frustration.

"I need to know, to try to keep you both alive!"

Before he could tell Ben it was none of his business, Rey moved her hand. Poe could not speak. His eyes pleaded to no avail as she turned to Ben and confessed,

"General Hux is my biological father."

Ben took a deep breath. Rey was telling the truth. She was Tessa's daughter!


	4. Chapter 4

"I will protect you both," Ben insisted. He was relieved to know the truth. But he had a new worry. His father and General Hux hated each other, even before his mother became a prisoner of the Order. Ben was worried on what Kylo would do to Rey once the results were read.

The droid took Tessa's DNA sample. She gazed at her husband and said to his mind,

"If she is mine, I want her here with us. I've lost so much time!" The tears brimmed in her eyes.

"You can't force her to stay, Tessa," Kylo reminded her.

"I can't, but you can. You are Supreme Leader, after all."

It was only a few minutes, but it seemed like an eternity passed before the droid came back with the test results. They were given to Kylo Ren. He read them, glanced at Rey, then looked at his wife. He managed a smile before stating,

"Rey Dameron is your daughter."

Tessa was shocked by the news. Her baby girl was alive!

Rey was mortified. She tried running out of the room, but Ben stood in her way.

"Let me go!" she screamed.

"I can't!" Ben told her, feelings the emotions of everyone in the room.

"Please stay," Tessa pleaded with her daughter.

"No! You are not my mother!"

"Rey, calm down," Poe begged, to no avail.

"The test says otherwise. I know you are angry..." Tessa tried to reason with Rey.

"Of course I'm angry! You tried to kill my father!" Rey snapped back.

"The man that you call Father ordered the attack on Corellia, putting my life, as well as yours, in danger!"

"He protected me from the bastard that was my biological father!"

Tessa was about to approach Rey, but Kylo stopped her. He turned Poe and asked,

"How did you get Rey?"

"I was in the woods, when I saw Hux with a blaster. I also saw a baby, lying on a tree stump. I thought he was going to kill her!" Poe began to explain, his eyes watery. "So I shot him multiple times. He warned me to keep the baby safe from her mother." He glared at Tessa, and added,

"Now I know why!"

"How dare you!" Tessa growled. "You have no right to judge me! You kept my daughter from me for sixteen years! Do you know what it is like, having a pain that never goes away?"

"I do," Poe sharply replied back. "It is the pain I feel every time I think about Rey, who sacrificed her life to save myself and countless others!"

"That is not how she died," Ben softly interjected. "She died giving birth to me."

Poe gave the boy a look of sympathy. He swallowed his throat and told him,

"I am sorry. I did not know."

"Save us your pity, Dameron! You still kept me away from my daughter!" Tessa hissed angrily.

"Stop it!" Rey yelled back. "Let go of your hate. It was Hux's fault we were separated, not my father's!"

"ENOUGH!" Kylo shouted. "Ben, I want you to take Rey and Poe to the gallery, to get something to eat."

"Kylo, he will try to help them escape!" Tessa panicked.

"He won't. Right, Ben?"

"Yes, Dad," Ben muttered, saddened that his parents knew of his plan.

"Follow me," the boy said to Rey and Poe. He led them to the gallery, and ordered food for them. They sat down, and Ben began to eat.

"Please eat," he told them, when he noticed they were not touching their food. Rey realized why he was eating with them. Ben was not who she had thought he would be. She picked up her fork and start eating.

"Dad, it's okay. The food is not poisoned," Rey reassured her father. She sensed his worry, but smiled when he ate his food.

"I can't hear their conversation. They are using the Force to block me out," Ben admitted.

"Oh Maker!" Rey moaned sorrowfully.

"Rey, it will be all right. At least for you," Poe stated.

"Dad, how can you say that? If they kill you..."

"Then I will die, knowing that you are safe."

"I won't be safe!"

"Yes, you will. Because he will protect you. Isn't that right, Ben?'

He was amused to see the boy blush in embarrassment.

"I may not be Force sensitive, but I do remember being sixteen," Poe continued. "You like her, don't you?"

"Dad!" Rey gasped, mortified that her father would say that.

"I do," Ben confessed, his hazel eyes focused on Rey. "I'm sorry, Rey. This is all my fault."

"How is this your fault?" she wondered. She was still trying to process that Ben had romantic feelings for her.

"If I had not run away, and flown to Ahch-to..."

"Don't blame yourself, Ben. This is my fault. I was running away, because I wanted to find out the truth about my mother. Now I wish I hadn't!"

Rey stood and walked away weeping. Poe cleared his throat and said to Ben,

"Go to her."

"But she..." he stammered nervously.

"Go." Ben nodded his head. He walked over to where Rey was standing. It hurt him to see her in pain. He gently touched her arm. She looked at him, strangely comforted by his presence.

"Don't be afraid," she whispered, as Ben wiped the tears from her face. "I feel the same way, too."

Ben smiled. Despite the situation, Rey liked him.

"I promise, I will do everything to make sure both you and your father are safe," he vowed, as he found her hand. "Let's go back to the table, before your father starts worrying."

A few minutes later, they were instructed by a Stormtrooper to meet Kylo and Tessa in Ben's private quarters.

"Why?" Ben questioned the soldier, who just walked away.

"Dad, why are we meeting you in my quarters?" Ben called out to his father through the Force.

"You will see," Kylo coyly responded.

"Mom?" Tessa did not answer him.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Ben thought to himself.

They entered Ben's quarters. Kylo and Tessa were there, holding hands. Rey noticed that the Empress had been crying.

"Please have a seat," Kylo instructed. They sat on a couch. Tessa sat on a recliner, gazing at the daughter she thought she would never get to see.

"We have discussed what to do with your father," Kylo began, focusing his attention on Rey. He felt compassion for her. The situation she was in was no fault of her own.

"You love him, and you don't want to be separated from him. But my wife..." Kylo paused, turning to face Tessa. "She never got a chance to hold you, to be the mother to you as she was to Ben."

He glanced at Poe and told him,

"Therefore, you are to remain on the Finalizer, along with Rey."


	5. Chapter 5

"No!" Poe shouted. "Do whatever you want to me. But leave Rey alone!"

"Dad, you can't do this!" Ben argued. He turned to Tessa and added,

"Mom, this is not right! They should not be treated like criminals!"

"They won't be, sweetheart. They will be our guests," Tessa explained to him, her eyes focused on Rey.

"I know how you treat your guests!" Poe snapped angrily at Kylo. "You are not harming my daughter!"

"He would never hurt my daughter!"Tessa yelled back.

Rey looked at Kylo, and sensed he was troubled. She rose from the couch and approached him.

"Rey, don't!" Poe warned her. But she kept her focus on the Supreme Leader. They made eye contact with each other.

"Why are you doing this?" Poe asked Kylo. "Why do you want to hurt us?"

"Dad, he's not doing this to hurt us," Rey offered, as she closed her eyes. "He is doing this because he loves his son."

Kylo raised an eyebrow when she said this. The Force flowed in Rey. She opened her eyes and stated,

"You would have raise me as your own if Hux did not poison me." He solemnly nodded his head.

"Let go of your self-hatred. What happened years ago what not your fault," she softly pleaded, as Rey took Kylo's hand into hers.

To everyone's amazement, Kylo broke down weeping. He pulled Rey into a tight embrace. Poe was about to go to her, but Ben grabbed his arm.

"Don't!" he said, shocked himself as what transpired.

After a couple of minutes, Rey pulled away and looked down nervously. Kylo knew her thought. He gently tilted her chin up and assured her,

"I know you are not like Hux."

When Rey this, she had a big smile on her face.

Kylo turned to Poe and explained,

"Your quarters will be next door to Ben's, so that you will be near Rey."

"What do you mean?" Poe questioned in confusion.

"Dad, no!" Ben yelled. "Mr. Dameron, I did not have any idea about this, I swear!" Poe's eyes widened in realization of what Kylo was implying.

"No! You can't force my daughter to be your son's lover!"

"Dad, I wouldn't be Ben's lover," Rey said joyfully. She turned to face him and explained,

"They want Ben and I to get married."

Poe's face turned pale. He stared at Kylo and barked,

"Why do you hate me?"

"He doesn't hate you, Dad. He's doing this because he loves his son. He..." Rey paused, glancing at Kylo. He nodded his head, giving her permission to speak. "He is finally listening to what Ben wants."

"Rey, you don't have to do this..."

"I know. But I want to. Dad, you and BB-8 were my first teachers. But now, I need someone to teach me the way to the Force. Ben can be my teacher, and in turn, I can be his wife and companion."

Poe rose to his feet and came to his daughter. Tears streaked down his face.

"I will be fine," Rey promised, as she wiped the tears away. Her father hugged her.

"Are you okay with this?" Ben asked Rey, as he came over to her. She pulled away from Poe, gazed into Ben's eyes and softly whispered,

"I am." She grabbed his hand, and he got excited by her touch.

Ben was thrilled that Rey was willing to marry him. He faced his parents and told them,

"I want Rey to stay with her father until we are married."

"That is fine with me," Kylo replied, looking at both Poe and Tessa. They shook their heads in the affirmative.

"Can you give me some time alone with Rey?" Tessa asked. Rey had a nervous look on her face.

"She won't hurt you," Kylo uttered, more to reassure Poe than Rey.

Poe took his daughter's hand and said,

"I know you are frightened. Don't be. Here is your opportunity to get your questions answered." He took Rey into his arms and whispered,

"I love you."

"I love you, too," Rey responded. Her heart raced as the men left the room.

"You will be okay," Ben spoke to her mind. "My mom is just as scared as you."

"Come," Tessa pleaded with Rey, motioning with her hand to join her on the couch. Rey reluctantly sat down next to Tessa.

"I am sorry you are scared..." Tessa began.

"You wanted to kill my dad!" Rey blurted out, before she started to cry.

"I didn't know the whole story, Rey."

"You threatened me!"

"I know. I can't take back my words. I can only apologize and not make the same mistake again. Can you give me another chance?"

Drying the wetness from her face, Rey slowly nodded her head. Tessa smiled. She knew her daughter had many questions to ask.

"Don't be afraid. Go ahead and ask," Tessa insisted.

Rey asked how she and General Hux met. Tessa told her the truth, that they met when she was thirteen. Tessa's stepfather was re-negotiating his contract with the Order. When she turned eighteen, she was captured and suspected to have blown up a weapons facility in Arkanis.

"Did you blow it up?" Rey asked.

"No," Tessa replied, a small smile on her face. "And it was a Resistance facility that blew up."

"I don't understand..."

"My step-father manufactured weapons for both sides."

"He sounds like a jerk!"

"He was. I fell unconscious when the plant was blown up. The next thing I knew, I was strapped down to an interrogation apparatus. That is when your father walked in."

"Did he...?"

"No. I was injected with a truth serum and questioned about the bombing. He recognized me, and the questions turned personal. I shared with him things I had not told anyone, including that I killed my step-father."

Rey's eyes widened when she heard this. Tessa sensed her fear and explained,

"He abused me, Rey. In all sorts of ways. He was trying to force me to marry a man I did not love. I refused, and he said he was going to kill me. So I killed him." Tessa wiped the tears from her face and continued.

"I begged your father to not send me back to Arkanis. He agreed, and said I was to be his prisoner and lover for the rest of my life."

"Did he...?"

"No. It was consensual. Hux was despicable in many ways, but not like that."

"Did you care about him?"

"I did."

"Then why are you married to the Supreme Leader?"

"Because your father's ultimate goal was power. He wanted to kill Kylo and anyone else that stood in his way. He was planning on using my Force powers to accomplish this. As for the Supreme Leader... he loves me, and I love him."


	6. Chapter 6

"Was Hux happy when he found out you were pregnant with me?" Rey questioned Tessa.

"No," Tessa replied back honestly. She noticed her daughter's eyes began to water, and clarified,

"He didn't know you were his until I started going into labor."

Rey's face went red. Tessa knew that she was angry.

"He tried to kill Rey, when she was pregnant with Ben. I was afraid!" Tessa stammered. Rey nodded her head in understanding.

"That's why the Supreme Leader was going to raise me as his own child," the young woman realized, a tear streaking down her face.

"Rey went into labor, and Kylo took her to the hospital. A couple of hours later, I woke up to the sound of bombs going off. I went to leave my room, and a cloth was placed over my mouth. Your father took me to a cave, and said..."

Tessa paused, remembering the emotional experience of that day.

"What he did say?" Rey asked.

"He said he was going to make Kylo suffer. He put a poison into our pre-natal vitamins. The poison was suppose to kill you, Rey and Ben. I warned Rey via the Force of what he had done. She used her power to heal Ben before giving birth, but she could not save herself. When I went into labor with you, I also used the Force to heal you. I passed out after giving birth. The next thing I knew, you and Hux were gone, and Kylo was carrying me away. I didn't want to leave without you..."

Tessa covered her face and bawled. Rey felt compassion for her.

"My dad thought Hux was going to kill me," Rey admitted. "He shot him multiple times. He told me Hux wanted to look at me one more time before he died. His last words were, 'I'm sorry, my dear'."

Tessa looked at Rey when she said this. Her daughter knew her thought and added,

"He was saying that to you, at that moment."

Tessa continued to cry. Rey tightly embraced her.

"I'm sorry! I should be comforting you!" Tessa moaned, as she held her daughter in her arms.

"It's okay. My dad took great care of me. Even though we were on the run, he made sure I had everything I needed. And we were not alone. We had..."

Rey suddenly stood to her feet. Tessa was puzzled and asked,

"Rey, what's wrong?"

"We need to get to the hanger now!" she shouted. Tessa followed Rey, concerned about the worried look on her face.

"Kylo, we need you in the hanger!" Tessa cried out in the Force.

"We are on our way there," he replied.

When the women arrived at the hanger, they saw Stormtroopers trying to subdue BB-8. Just as Rey was about to scream at them to stop, they suddenly backed away from the droid.

"After all these years..." Kylo uttered, as he approached BB-8. The droid was about to shock the Supreme Leader when Poe told him,

"No, BB-8! We are not in danger!"

BB-8 asked where Rey was.

"I'm here!" Rey exclaimed, as she came over and kissed him on his head. He spun around in excitement. Then he noticed Kylo, Tessa and Ben, and rolled back nervously.

"BB-8, it's okay. They are not going to hurt us," Rey assured him. "In fact..." She motioned for Ben to come join her. "Ben and I are going to get married."

BB-8 pulled out his lighter and pointed it down in disproval.

"BB-8, you be nice! You don't even know him!" Rey scolded him. She saw him rock back and forth in agitation.

"Maybe I should properly introduce myself," Ben offered. He knelt on one knee and added,

"My name is Ben, the son of Supreme Leader Kylo Ren and Empress Tessa Raindance, and the biological son of Rey of Jakku."

BB-8 let out a screech, shocked by what Ben had just revealed. He stared at the young man for a moment. Then he turned to the side, and turned out a holographic image.

Ben almost fell to both knees when he saw a picture of Rey, his birth mother. Even in her scavenger clothes, she was beautiful. The droid showed him images of her from Jakku and Takodona.

Then BB-8 showed a conversation, between himself and Rey. She was crying. He asked what was wrong.

"I'm pregnant!" Rey confessed. "But I didn't... Poe is going to be furious when he finds out!" BB-8 questioned why he would be mad.

"Because the baby is not his. BB-8, what am I going to do? I love Poe, but I love my baby, too!"

The droid turned off the conversation and bowed his head. Ben stood to his feet and walked over to Poe. The young man gasped,

"You were going to raise me as your own son."

"I loved your mother. She..." Poe tried to say, but was afraid to utter the words.

"She was afraid of me," Kylo confessed. "I was full of anger after the battle of Crait. I threatened her life... I tried to apologize, but she closed off our Force connection. I was in pain until..." He stopped and glanced over at Tessa. She smiled in understanding.

BB-8 beeped solemnly. Poe patted his head and told him,

"It's okay, buddy. I'm not angry with you."

The droid asked a question, which made everyone laugh.

"Yes, you can be the ring bearer," Ben told him. BB-8 pointed his lighter up in approval. Ben looked at the ship the droid arrived in.

"No way!" he exclaimed in excitement. "Dad, it's..."

"The Millennium Falcon," Kylo finished his statement. "This ship was owned by your grandfather."

"My grandfather? But Mom never knew her father."

"Not her father, Ben. My father."

"But the captain of the Millennium Falcon was..." He paused, in shock by what his father admitted.

"My grandfather was Han Solo?" he finally managed to say.

"He was," Kylo sighed sadly. "Go ahead and explore the ship."

He turned to walk away. But Ben grabbed his arm.

"Dad, come in with me," he pleaded.

"I can't, Ben. You don't understand..." Kylo stated nervously.

"I do understand. You may have been a terrible son, but you are a great father!"

Kylo pulled his son into a tight embrace. Knowing that Ben loved him, despite the fact he killed his father, comforted him. He felt the darkness in his soul slip away. They went inside to check out the Falcon.

"Poe," Tessa said, as she approached him. "Please forgive me. I did not know the whole story."

"Neither did I," he replied warmly. Rey enjoyed the moment between her parents.

BB-8 asked if Rey wanted to see the ship.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "Let's check it out!"

Later that evening, everyone was sitting in a conference room. Suddenly, the door opened.

"Come in!" Kylo shouted, a big smile on his face. Ben and Rey were surprised when two Stormtroopers brought in cakes for them.

"What is this?" Rey asked.

"Well, it is both of your birthdays!" Tessa lightly reminded her daughter. Poe lifted BB-8 so that he could light the candles on the cakes.

They sang "Happy Birthday" to the teenagers. They blew out their candles.

"I already got my wish," Ben cooed, as he held Rey's hand underneath the table.

"You better be just holding her hand!" Tessa and Poe warned him.

Ben groaned in embarrassment. Rey could not help chuckling at her parents.


	7. Chapter 7

As they ate cake, they discussed the wedding. Ben turned to his father and said,

"Dad, there is someone I want to invite to the wedding."

"Who?" Kylo asked. Ben gave him a look.

"No!" the Supreme Leader stated emphatically. "She will not come. Not after..."

"Kylo, we should at least ask her," Tessa argued. "After all, she did give your grandfather's lightsaber to Ben."

A year later, Ben and Rey got married on the Finalizer. Along with their parents, their guests included the crew, and one Resistance leader.

"It is good to see you again, after all these years," Leia Organa said to Poe.

"Likewise, General," the pilot teased. Leia raised her eyebrow.

"It's too late to start following orders, Commander," she lightly responded back. Her eyes focused on the bride.

"Rey," she began. "What a strong and beautiful woman you have become. I can't believe the little newborn I held in my arms is now a married woman!" The two ladies embraced.

"Ben," Leia gasped, doing her best to not break down and cry. "I hope you are not angry with me."

"No," Ben replied, with a smile on his face. "I wanted to contact you. But my father..."

"I know." She hugged her grandson.

"I love you, Ben. I always have, and I always will!" Leia vowed, the tears falling down her face.

"I love you, too!" Ben told her. After a couple of minutes, Leia broke the embrace and wondered,

"Where are your parents?"

"I'm here!" Tessa exclaimed, as she walked over to her mother-in-law. She couldn't say anything. She was ashamed over the years she spent being angry at Poe.

"Tessa, being a good parent is learning from your mistakes and not repeating them," Leia encouraged her. Tessa nodded her head in understanding. "Or, you could always learn from my mistakes."

"Leia, it's time. Go to him," Tessa softly pleaded.

"He will not see me."

"He wants to see you. He feels you don't want to see him, after everything."

BB-8 rolled over and beeped at Leia. The general smiled at the droid.

"Yes, I missed you, too," she told him. He said to come and follow him. She raised her eyebrow in confusion.

"Go ahead," Ben insisted. BB-8 led Leia to Kylo's private quarters. With her heart racing, she slowly opened the door.

Her son was sitting on a couch. He looked the same, just older and very nervous.

"Don't be afraid, I feel it too," she reassured Kylo as she drew close to him.

"Thank you for inviting me to the wedding," Leia began. "Ben and Rey make a beautiful couple."

Kylo could only stare at his mother. He wanted to ask for forgiveness, but he thought it was too late.

Leia knew his thought. She whispered to BB-8. He played a video from the battle of Crait.

"I know now my son is gone," a younger version of Leia commented. Kylo's eyes widened when he heard his uncle Luke reply back,

"No one is ever truly gone."

BB-8 stopped the scene. Leia looked at Kylo and told him,

"He said this before your confrontation." She sighed and added,

"I'm sorry, Ben. For everything that happened."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Kylo confessed. "I was the one who destroyed our family, by killing..."

He could not say the words. He closed his eyes, ashamed of what he had done. Leia bravely sat down next to him.

"I know. But you are my son. Even though I failed you, even though you failed, I never stopped loving you!" Leia reminded him.

Kylo could not hold it anymore. He broke down weeping. Leia took him in her arms and hugged him, just like she did when he was a little boy.

It was a long time before they rejoined the party. Tessa ran to Kylo and embraced him, while Leia walked over to Poe and said,

"I made peace today."

"That's wonderful," Poe replied. She smiled coyly and added,

"Not just personally, Poe. The war is over."

Poe, Ben and Rey were shocked by Leia's announcement. Then Ben felt nervous. Leia knew his concern and explained,

"They are going into exile. It was the only way I could keep them alive."

"Thank you," Ben stated, understanding the tough predicament his grandmother was in.

Leia left after the reception was over. She promised to keep in contact with everyone.

"We are going to settle on Ahch-to," Kylo explained to Ben, Rey and Poe. "We will miss you terribly. Please come visit us when you can."

Ben glanced at his wife, who gave him a nod. He cleared his throat and said,

"If you are going to Ahch-to, then we will go with you."

"No, Ben," Tessa tried to dissuade him. "It's time for you and Rey to live your own lives. And Poe..."

"I will be wherever my daughter is at," Poe vowed. Rey gave him a surprised look. He winked and uttered, "That is, if she wants me there."

"Of course I want you there, Dad!" Rey cried, as father and daughter embraced. He whispered in her ear,

"Say what is in your heart."

Rey turned to face her family and stated,

"I do not know where the Force will lead Ben and I. But we do want a place that we can come home to." She began to cry. Her husband came to her side and held her hand.

"Then it's settled. We are going to Ahch-to," Ben exclaimed.

Kylo and Tessa were full of joy. They did not deserve the love their family was showing them, but they graciously agreed.

"So then the five of us will go," Poe said. BB-8 beeped in annoyance.

"Sorry, buddy! Of course, you are coming with us!" He rubbed the droid's head.

"Then it's five humans and one droid making the trip," Ben stated with a smile.

"It's six humans, not five," Tessa corrected him. Everyone gave her a puzzled look.

"Who's the sixth person?" Poe asked curiously. The newlyweds realized what Tessa was saying.

"May we?" they asked. Tessa nodded her head. Rey and Ben came over, placed their hands on her stomach, and answered,

"Our baby sister."

Kylo turned to face Tessa. Tears were in his eyes. He placed his hand on her belly, and was speechless. He felt the Force signature of his daughter. His daughter with Tessa.

"Your vision was correct," she gently reminded him. "It just took a little while for it to come to pass."

Kylo took her in his arms and kissed her sweetly on her forehead.

"We both got what we wanted," Tessa told him. "A family to love us, despite our faults!"

"Thank you" Kylo replied, as he gently touched her face.

"For what?"

"For not failing me."

"But I did fail you, with my hatred towards Poe."

"No. That's not what I meant. You stayed with me, when everyone else left. You could have left, you were strong enough to. But you didn't. You stayed by my side, and I could never repay you for that."

"Kylo, your love and faith in me, even when I was at my darkest, is payment enough." Tessa kissed her husband, knowing that it was time to leave the hurts of the past behind and look forward to spending time with their children.


End file.
